Rural Payments and Services

The aim of these rules is to prohibit the illegal use in stock farming of substances that have a hormonal or thyrostatic action and beta-agonists.

The rules also aim to prevent the residues these substances leave in meat and other foodstuffs from entering the human or animal food chain.

You must:

1. observe the relevant withdrawal period if your food-producing animals have been given any of the restricted substances in line with the permitted exceptions

2. make veterinary medicinal records relating to restricted substances available to the competent authority, or anyone acting on behalf of the competent authority, on request

You must not:

1. give food-producing animals restricted substances* (unless in line with any permitted exceptions*)

2. have substances on your farm that contain beta-agonists to induce tocolysis in cows when calving (for example, clenbuterol hydrochloride)

3. have food-producing animals on your farm to which a restricted substance has been administered (unless given in line with any permitted exceptions)

4. place on the market, or send to slaughter for human consumption, any animal to which a restricted substance has been administered (unless given in line with any permitted exceptions)

5. place on the market meat, or any other animal product, derived from an animal to which any restricted substance has been administered (unless given in line with any permitted exceptions)